The Pride of Kanto
by Edward Anthony Ferris
Summary: Akira is a three time winner of the independent tournament held every half year at the Pokemon Stadium in Kanto. He and his team of unique Pokemon are being hailed as the next great Pokemon and Master, Akira even being called "The Gladiator". Akira, seeking glory and fame, challenges Ash Ketchum to a battle for bragging rights at the Battle Frontier in Sinnoh, winner takes all...
1. Challenge Accepted

_Pokémon: The Pride of Kanto_

_Battle Frontier, Sinnoh Region._

"Sceptile, return!"

The five and a half foot reptile-grass Pokémon nodded, and allowed itself to be reduced from a glorious specimen of pride and competition, to a beam of red light, sucked back into the red and white sphere in my hand. I closed the lid of the Poké Ball, and it shrank to half its size, ready for placement at my belt.

Across a flat, paved patch of land, a man of middle age mimicked my action with a Poké ball, returning his Bibarel (a beaver Pokémon) back to the safety of its confines.

"You're good, Gladiator," he called, nodding in my direction.

"Thank you," I replied, nodding to him.

I turned on my heel, and marched away from the arena, leaving a crowd of spectators in my wake. One older man reached a hand out, stuffing a magazine with me posing on the cover into my face, "Sign it, please Gladiator?"

I sighed, and stopped my march towards the Frontier Hotel. I offered the man a smile, and pulled a pen from my suit jacket. "Sure," I said, taking the magazine, "Who do I make this out to?"

"Make it out to Looker," he said, "Can't give you my real name."

I shrugged, and signed it as he wished, handing it back. "Take care, Looker."

A second lady walked up, holding an Ultra Ball. I smiled, seeing what I'd gotten myself into. See, I was famous for being the three time champion of the Pokémon Stadium, in the Kanto region. Kanto, widely considered the birthplace of Pokémon, had established a free for all arena on an island south of Pallet Town. Anyone other than Gym Leaders, Elite Four, or Pokémon League Champions was allowed to compete, and bet on the fights. Trainers would come from all Regions to compete, win, lose, and ultimately to _learn_. The rules were simple: The battles lasted until only two Trainers remained in a bracket-tournament of two hundred entrees after five rounds of fighting, and then the two would square off to declare the newest Champion of the Stadium Tournament. The Stadium had become massively popular in the past two years it had been established, and it was considered by many to be the place that true Trainers competed, away from the politics of the Pokémon League. Despite the majority of Trainers questing for badges and an Elite Four Trophy, many still occupied the Stadium to fight it out in winner-takes-all combat. This was where I had made my fame, began my legacy.

My name is Akira Satoshi, and I'm an aspiring Pokémon Master.

When I was fourteen, I had been on a cruise ship that was visiting the Kanto Region, around Vermillion City. I had, at the time, been given no chance by my parents to begin training Pokémon of my own, and was often picked on by my peers. An example of such bullying, was aboard the cruise ship that my rather wealthy parents owned, the _SS Anne II_. It was after midnight, and I'd decided to take a walk along the deck. Not many people had been awake, not at that late of an hour. I enjoyed the quiet, and sat in a beach chair looking out over the black sea that reflected the brilliance of the moon overhead like a perfect natural mirror. I had always been a fan of books, history in particular, and I'd had a book titled "Lost Guardians of Kanto" out and was currently enjoying it and all it had to offer. The book, a very rare piece of literature given to me by a scientist aboard the ship, told of three Pokémon species believed to have gone extinct during the first settlement of the Kanto Region, the birthplace of both humans and Pokémon alike. According to the book, the three species had been killed off by humans at the time who were terrified of their power. In the last passage of the book, it was stated that scientists theorize that the intelligence of the three guardians was so great, that they laid the foundation for their species to survive by hiding infant Pokémon from each type somewhere deep under the ocean's surface, similar to the way many ancient Legendary Pokémon had done.

The difference was, those Pokémon (the three Legendary Birds, Lugia, Mew, the three Dogs of Johto, Ho-Oh, Groudon, Kyogre, Dialga, Palkia, the Pokémon of the Sinnoh Lakes, Giratina, Arceus, Celebii, etc) had been rediscovered in the past decade or two, in an explosion of knowledge and expansion led by the top scientists of the world. Of course, what these scientist may or may not have known, was that a young Trainer from Pallet Town had also had interactions with the previously mentioned Legends. A kid named Ash Ketchum, but he was to play a role later on in this story, not now. These three had managed to escape rediscovery for over a thousand years, rumored to be in this very area.

This fascination with knowledge and history, in addition to my lack of Pokémon, led to the next event.

Some of the bullies from my town had seen me sitting there by the edge of the boat, and snuck up on me. Instead of simply giving me a wedgie, or perhaps just beating me up, the four kids settled for kicking me in the groin and tossing me overboard, no doubt believing I'd be rescued immediately and I'd be a laughingstock.

They were wrong.

I remember seeing the fear in their faces as the ship cruised away, none the wiser to me thrashing about in the middle of the ocean, the mainland a faint line on the horizon over ten miles away. My memory tells of me kicking to stay afloat for well over an hour, silently praying to whoever would listen to not let me die out in the middle of the ocean to become Gyarados food. I'd felt my head dip below the surface more than once, and my legs had become tired. Just before I slipped beneath the waves, I thought to myself, _Guardians of Kanto, predecessors of the Birds of Legend…hear me. I do not wish to die out here, a thousand miles from home. Spare me, and I will repay you as you see fit._

Now, I'm not the religious type, never have been. But even I cannot deny what happened.

I must have passed out at some point, and fell into the crushing blackness of the sea. However, instead of drowning, I awoke some time later in a dimly lit cavern, a damp chamber of stone.

A man stood before me, shadowed and indistinguishable. He had his back turned to me, facing the far side of the room, where a raised platform of stone contained three small cubes. These cubes, so I'd first thought, appeared to made of some shining, glowing metal.

The man in front of me spoke, then, in a dark, mysterious voice that seemed to resonate inside my very head. "Hello," he'd said, "You are wondering why you have not died. A fair question."

I remember opening my mouth to speak, but the words unable to be formed.

"Speak not," the man said, "I have brought you here, to the last home of one of the oldest species of Pokémon in the history of this world. I myself was drawn to this cave, seeking questions about the Pokémon of old, of power, and of life itself. What you see in front of you, are the last remnants of ancient Pokémon. These three species were so powerful, a single group of them could wipe out an entire city with absurd ease. But of course," the man turned around, and stepped into the light, "You already knew that."

I remember the initial shock at realizing that the man was actually a _Pokémon,_ but not like any I'd ever seen. It- he- had two legs, two arms, and three fingers on each hand. His skin was gray-purple, and he had two short horns on the top of his bald head. His eyes were large, intelligent, calculating.

"You wouldn't recognize me, Akira," he said calmly, now obviously using telepathy, "My name is Mewtwo, a cloned and more powerful version of the Legendary Pokémon Mew. I was a mistake created inside a laboratory, quite unlike these Pokémon here," he waved a hand at the three cubes, "It was I who heard your thoughts from on the surface of the ocean, and I who brought you here. I sensed something inside you while you were on the ship above, a sort of longing wonder I myself possess. Yet, unlike my former self, I did not see in your heart any anger, or malice, only a desire for glory, adventure. I once knew a young man such as yourself, though he does not now remember me."

Mewtwo strode over and placed a hand on the cube farthest to the right, the blue cube. I noticed, as he touched it, that this cube was transparent, like it was made of ice, quite unlike the other two solid cubes. "There is a difference, I'm glad you noticed it. This cube used to contain a water Pokémon, one that ruled the seas in this Region. A fine Pokémon, he was. However, not even the ancients had the foresight required to protect it. While the other two remain intact, this one died before it could be brought here and placed in the cube. The cube still contains the ancient power of its owner, although the physical being and the consciousness are gone. The red cube contains a Pokémon with the power to set fire to the very sun in the sky, and the yellow a Pokémon with the might of even the wildest lightning storm. I believe the duty is on me, Akira Satoshi, to present these cubes to their new Trainer. I have seen inside your very being, and I find you worthy. Will you accept?"

My head was spinning, I'd just almost drown in the ocean and now some strange Pokémon was trying to give me two other ancient Pokémon, the last of their kind in all of existence, because he…saw inside my soul? Of course, as you can imagine, I'd always wanted Pokémon. And these two were supposedly the most powerful of their day. Naturally, I accepted.

"Good," Mewtwo said, "I shall send you and your Pokémon back to the surface, on once condition: You must never use them for your own personal gain. If you pursue glory, you must pursue it as a team. And never shall you abuse these Pokémon, in any fashion. Should a time come when you no longer wish to travel with them, you will bring them back here to rest. Do you accept?"

Again, I accepted.

"Take care, Akira Satoshi," Mewtwo had said in a parting statement, "You have greatness in you, and only time will hinder your path."

And from there on out I'd taken my two new Pokémon with me to train against the best. Once Mewtwo had landed us safely back on dry land, I immediately said my goodbyes to my parents, and set off on my own adventure. I traveled from one town to the next in Kanto, challenging trainer after trainer, crushing most with ease. I had a demon-fire Pokémon, Impsey, and a tiger-electric Pokémon, Tigling, leading my campaign to greatness. During my travels around Cerulean City, I ran into a young, but shockingly strong Abra. Having no desire to catch Pokémon, I turned away to leave. This Abra, however, forced me to stay and fight using telekinetic powers. Impressed by its determination, I captured the Abra, and was again startled at the sheer intelligence of the Pokémon, a brain capacity that far surpassed any human I'd ever met. My three Pokémon, two of which had never before been seen by man, gained us much notoriety and glory. The four of us swept the floor with the competition, though never took a single badge. Eventually we sailed to the Hoenn region, and began challenging Gym Trainers, though still declining to fight Leaders for badges. One day, I was traveling alongside my new and improved Dembull (who had evolved from Impsey) and my Tigling, who was on the verge of evolution, when Kadabra thought it best to stop beside the sea. I agreed, and we did so. After an hour or so of staring out at the sunrise, Kadabra asked if I would like to swim, that he would keep the Pokémon away. I accepted his kind offer, and did so. However, a passing Wingull flock divebombed Kadabra, momentarily distracting him. In that moment, a powerful water Pokémon, a Sharpedo, latched onto my leg and tried to drag me underneath the surface. Kadabra could not sense the danger, as he had been occupied with the Wingull, and I panicked, reaching into my pocket and withdrawing the blue cube of the ancient water Pokémon. Hoping the power of the object would scare off the Sharpedo, I struck the animal with it, and was blinded by a dazzling flash of white light. I was thrown from the water, and landed hard on the sandy beach beside Kadabra.

My guardian opened his mouth to apologize, but was cut off by the lightshow taking place underneath the surface. Me, Demboll, Tigling, and Kadabra stood transfixed, observing the phenomenon. A full minute later, and the lights stopped. I explained to Kadabra what had happened, and he was silent, alert.

That was when the fourth unseen Pokémon entered my life, a completely new breed. Twenty-five feet long and as powerful as a Wailord, a massive grey-white shark swam lazily to the beach, and simply floated there. Kadabra communicated with the Pokémon, and informed me that this creature believed it owed me a lifetime of loyalty and protection for evolving it into a newer, more powerful, more intelligent form. Sharduke, as I'd named him, no longer felt the need for senseless ferocity, and claimed it had a clear mind for the first time in its life.

And so our party became five, and remained that way until the opening of the Pokémon Stadium back in Kanto, two years ago. I attempted to enter the competition, but was delayed due to my own illness contracted on the flight there. I decided to rest and recover in Saffron City, and during that time I encountered a high leveled Pidgeotto. As I've said, it has never been my inclination to catch Pokémon. This Pidgeotto, however, put such a magnificent and well thought out beating on Tigling, that I felt obligated to keep this bird at my side. I captured it, and the Pokémon evolved into a very powerful Pidgeot a short time later. During the travel back to Cinnabar Island, to catch a ship back to Free Island (home of the Stadium) I was ambushed and attacked by members of a thug group known as Team Rocket. Dembull and Pidgeot fought them off, though the group seemed to leave a small syringe behind, one they tried desperately to retrieve, claiming it was the sole prototype of "a move that will change Pokémon forever".

Upon our closer inspection, we saw that the substance inside contained a chemical that would alter a Pokémon's very cellular structure (as the label instructed), changing it from whatever type it was into a poison-type Pokémon. Unsure of what to do, we stored the syringe back inside my backpack, intent on turning it over to the police in the next town. However, on the way there, it was revealed that Team Rocket had shot Pidgeot with some form of dart, and my beloved bird was fading fast. We were miles from any town and out of options. I sat in the center of a dark, moonlit path and held tight onto my Pidgeot, determined to be there when he passed. Then, I had an idea, and voiced it to Kadabra. Kadabra stated he was unsure of how the syringe's altering properties would react to an already poisoned Pokémon, that it had a split chance of saving him and making him even stronger, or killing him instantly. Seeing my Pidgeot, my friend, dying in my arms, I made the decision and injected him with the chemicals.

Three days passed, and all Pidgeot did was sleep. When we arrived in Celedon City, I rushed Pidgeot to a Pokémon Center, and the doctors went to work. I waited a further two days without word, until finally Nurse Joy emerged from the operating room with a rather puzzled look. "Akira," she said patiently, "We have good news, and…unusual news. The good news is that your Pidgeot made a full recovery. The strange news, is that your Pidgeot may no longer actually be a Pidgeot. Whatever was inside that syringe has…well, has changed your bird Pokémon into a very powerful _poison-bird Pokémon._ I say, I've never seen anything like it."

Again, I was on the frontier of a new species, the right to name it on my shoulders. Upon seeing my Pidgeot, I saw instantly why Joy was confused. Pidgeot's usual brown, yellow, and white feathers had become a different color. The light yellow belly and wingtips had now taken on a jet black tone. The tan on the top and upper half of the back of Pidgeot's wings was a deep purple, while the reverse inside portions were a lighter shade of violet. Where the tail feathers and crest had been a light shade of red, a dark flint-grey was now found, the upper half of the feathery mane matching the underside of his wings.

Nothing like this had ever been seen, or done, in the history of Pokémon, with Mewtwo being the obvious exception. Without a name in mind, I'd taken to calling Pidgeot a "Dark Pidgeot", as the bird now employed a lethal mix of flying and poison moves to aid my other companions in our battles in the Stadium, earning us our first title. Unlike the Pokémon League, one could not hold a title, as it was vacated at the start of the next tournament. There were two tournaments the first year, and another since forming the biannual week long event. Between the first and second tournaments, I trained constantly with my new Pokémon, my friends, and we crossed paths with a young man by the name of Gary. Gary, claiming to know Ash Ketchum, challenged me to a one-on-one against his very strong Sceptile, the final evolution of the grass-type Treeko, a rare find. I defeated Sceptile easily with Dembull, but the harsh treatment I witnessed Gary show to Sceptile after the loss angered me so much, I purchased the Pokémon from him with a chunk my prize money, costing me five thousand dollars. Gary happily parted with the "weak" Sceptile, who proved to be an intelligent grass companion who battled on the magnitude of any of my other previous Pokémon, effectively proving Gary's foolishness as the seven of us clinched a second consecutive title, and a third.

Now, four months after the last tournament (two years since meeting Mewtwo), I sat in a luxurious condominium in Sinnoh's Battle Frontier in the largest house offered (given to me as a sign of respect by the Frontier authorities), awaiting a call on my cell phone from a very important opponent. Recently, in an interview, I'd labeled Ash Ketchum (a kid who'd beaten the Pokémon League in several Regions) as the best Trainer of the century, and challenged him to a Pokémon battle in my home Region of Sinnoh, at the Battle Frontier. I, of course, had already defeated the Elite Four, and declined to take over as Champion. I was invincible, the only obstacle in my path being a kid a few years younger than me, with twice the Trainer talent. Although, to solidify my legacy as the best Pokémon duelist of all time, I would have to beat Ash Ketchum, who battled just as magnificently as he raised, captured, and collected Pokémon.

Defeating him would be my crowning achievement, and the pinnacle of my team's prowess.

I sat patiently by the phone, opening my Poké Balls for my friends to stretch their legs. The first ball opened, and Dark Pidgeot, whom I'd nicknamed "Pippin" after a character in a book, soared out the window, calling boldly for all others to hear as it soared high above the sea. The second, I aimed towards the waves that lapped the posts that held up the raised porch that extended like a shelf out over the beach, and let out my massive water-ice shark Pokémon, Sharduke, where he could swim and relax as the most dominant water Pokémon on the Frontier. Third, I released a massive yellow and black tiger, Tigrage, onto the floor beside my bed, scratching his silky fur as he emerged. Fourth, was my grass type Sceptile, who left the room after a friendly wink, and headed for the garden, where he felt at peace with the plants. Last but certainly not least, a nine foot winged humanoid Pokémon with a pair of curling black horns on his head, a thick barbed tail, and a mane of fire that encircled his head, blasted forth from a simple Poké Ball, ducking to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling. Vulcoth, as he had evolved to, was the most terrifying in appearance, and nicest in nature of all my Pokémon, outside of the arena at least. He dropped to a sitting position, relaxing on the floor beside me and Tigrage. Alakazam, having had been waiting for me in our condo until my battle for the day was over, greeted me with a wink as I walked in.

_You attracted a lot of attention,_ he said into my mind, _yet I notice you used Sceptile again, and not one of your unique Pokémon._

I shrugged, "You're all unique to me, Alakazam."

The enigmatic Pokémon nodded sharply. _I know that, although your Pokémon have already been seen inside the Stadium. There is no point in concealing them from Ash before he arrives, he already knows what to expect, should he accept your challenge._

I opened my mouth to respond, but the video phone on the desktop computer went off a foot from me, and both Alakazam and I shot it a glance.

_It's Ash,_ he said, _I think you'd better answer this._

I pushed a button on the computer, and Ash Ketchum's face appeared on the screen. "Ash Ketchum," I said, nodding in respect, "I see you saw my challenge on the television."

Ash nodded, "I actually have a few weeks to spare, Gladiator. I'll be catching a helicopter to Sinnoh in a couple hours. I'd be happy to accept your challenge."

He spoke confidently, energetically. In the background, I heard his Pikachu call out, "_Pika Pika!"_

I nodded, pleased. "Alright, sounds great. Are you familiar with the way we're doing this little showdown?"

Ash shrugged, offering a weak grin, "Well… I, uh, might have _forgotten_ to read the rules."

"Well," I said with a smile, "They're pretty simple. Three rounds, two Pokémon each. A different arena terrain will be randomly selected ahead of time for each round, any withdrawn Pokémon are considered out of the fight, and there's no time limit. There's a total of six fights, two per round, so it's the best four out of six to determine the overall winner. This is a sort of charity event to repair the damage done here in Sinnoh by Team Galactic, so the winner basically just gets bragging rights over the other," I paused for a moment to admire the determination in my opponent's face, "I asked you to battle me for a number of reasons, one of them being that I personally believe you're the better Trainer, and I would get a great deal of glory by defeating you. You've got to beat the best to be the best, you know?"

Ash nodded, "I understand perfectly, I'm going to become a Pokémon Master myself one day. Well, I'd better get back to Pikachu, he gets kinda ornery when I don't pay attention to him. See you soon!"

I grinned, "I'm looking forward to our fight. Safe travels."

Ash nodded, and the link closed, his face blinking out of view.

_I wonder which Pokémon he will bring,_ Alakazam thought to me.

I shrugged, "I want him at his best. The more of a challenge, the better my legacy," I strode away from the PC, snatching a can of soda off the desk and popping the top, "I've won a hundred recorded battles, and lost only four. Those losses were scattered around in the time of my first fights, and I've since gone eighty-five battles without a loss. I will make Ash Ketchum my hundred and first win, and the most important of my career," I turned back to Vulcoth, offering him a wry smile, "And you, mister. You can't pound out any of Ash's Pokémon once they're fainted. Not like you did to Kenji in the Stadium. We don't have any rivalry with him, alright?"

Vulcoth snorted, blowing a plume of black smoke from his snout.

_Ash has a serious advantage in his corner,_ Alakazam said thoughtfully.

I nodded, "He's got the element of surprise, I know. We don't know what Pokémon he's bringing."

Alakazam shook his head _No, I'm talking about his Pikachu._

I sighed, nodding again.

The Pikachu that accompanied Ash Ketchum was well known by the Gyms and Leagues as a tiny Pokémon with a massive punch, far greater than even his evolved form should be capable of. Ash's Pikachu rarely gave up during a fight, no matter how much damage it absorbed, and almost always used its speed, agility, and raw electrical power to come back with a win. Against any of my Pokémon, I saw Pikachu as a grave threat, even against Vulcoth. In this particular battle, I could not count on the sheer power of my Pokémon to beat the genius of Ash Ketchum and his Pikachu, not for a single second.

I marched into the condo's study, and over to a large whiteboard on the wall shaped like a battle arena. Alakazam, Vulcoth, and Tigrage followed, and I cupped a hand over my mouth, shouting, "Pippin, Sceptile, you guys come on in for a minute, will ya?"

I walked over to the window, and withdrew Sharduke back into his ball, placing it on the table. He wouldn't be able to see from inside, but it would be easier for Alakazam to relay the conversation, strategies, and images to him if he was inside and not five thousand feet under the sea.

_Let's begin with Vulcoth,_ Alakazam said, _The settings are randomized and selected after you choose your Pokémon that will participate in that round. We might as well drill each of us with each of the seven terrains. Let us begin with placing Vulcoth against a water type Pokémon, at a water type arena._

And so we studied, planned, and plotted. Alakazam used every iota of his analytical and tactical brilliance to setup a game plan for each of my Pokémon. After three hours, I resigned myself to my bed, and the Pokémon returned to their Poké Balls. Pippin, who rarely slept, sat awake on the balcony, staring out over the sea.

Before I fell asleep, I dreamt that I had beaten Ash and all his Pokémon, and that the TV crews and reporters were hailing me as "The greatest Pokémon trainer of all time!"

… … …

… … …

_Battle Frontier Main Arena_

_Two Days Later, Friday, Noon._

I sat at the inspection booth while the highly trained Frontier officials finished looking over the two Pokémon I'd chosen for the first round, Tigrage and Sceptile, to clear them for combat. I stared out across the arena, across the rocky theme chosen as our battleground. I'd hoped for a forest theme, but I wasn't so lucky. In the booth a hundred yards away, Ash Ketchum was having his Charizard and his Heracross inspected in the same fashion. For a moment, we locked eyes across the arena.

In the distance, I saw him nod, a gesture I returned. I was the assuming the role of the champion, so I sent my Pokémon out first. This gave Ash the ability to choose the best Pokémon for the battle from his two.

I knelt down beside Tigrage, put a hand on his shoulder and said, "He's got a bug and a fire type out there. I'm sending you out first to crush his Pokémon, which will no doubt be his Heracross. He'll save Charizard for Sceptile. Either way, fire off a Thunder Wave early and slow him down. You can pick him off with Thunder from a distance, and avoid his Megahorn and Hyper Beam. If you get too close, get him with Thunder Fang or a Body Slam. You got this, Tig."

Tigrage nuzzled my hand with his massive yellow head, and stepped into the arena, roaring his challenging call to Ash. The crowd turned, impressed at the ferocity of the one-of-a-kind Tigrage. My electric Pokémon, obviously, looked mostly like an ordinary tiger. His fur was yellow with black stripes, he had a white furry goatee and whiskers, a spiky white mane like a lion, and his fangs protruded from his jowls like the cats of old. Most noticeable of all, aside from his being the size of a car, was how shiny his fur was, like it was repeatedly lathered in polish.

Across the arena, Ash's Heracross walked in, strutting its horn and looking intimidating. The light streaming through the plate glass windows a hundred feet overhead gleamed off its armored hide, and its intelligent eyes panned around the arena.

_A pair of great looking Pokémon._

Both Pokémon stopped at the edge of the painted white circle that occupied the center of the arena. Heracross dipped his horn down in a gesture of intimidation. Tigrage growled in return, sparks flashing from his whiskers.

I stepped into the painted white square on the ground at the very edge of the arena, Ash matching me on the opposite side.

"Good afternoon Battle Frontier!" the commentator's voice roared over the loudspeaker, met with an equally booming cheer from the crowd, "Today we're welcoming two legends to the battlefield. On your left, we've got the Gladiator of the Stadium, with record of one hundred wins, four losses confirmed by the Pokémon League, three time champion of the Pokémon Stadium, Akira Satoshi!"

The crowd stood on end, roaring their approval. I waved a hand at the crowd, pleased at my fanbase.

"And on your right, owner of a startling forty-five sanctioned Gym Badges to date, five time contender in the Pokémon Leagues, the kid who's won all seven Symbols here at the Frontier, twenty time non-sanctioned Contest winner, a welcome ally of Legendary Pokémon near and far, Winner of the Orange Islands Pokemon League, and arguably the greatest Pokémon Trainer of all time, Ash Ketchum!"

The response of the crowd was so colossally thunderous, the very rocks of the Battle Arena shook, and the glass panes that separated the crowd from the chaos of the arena vibrated in their mounting brackets. I clapped in respect, nodding towards Ash.

_This will be among the finest wins of your career._

"And now to introduce the Pokémon in today's matchup," the commentator said, "The Pokémon for the Gladiator is a unique one indeed, folks! The only one of its kind, an electric-fighting type tiger Pokémon, Tigrage!"

The crowd offered their applause.

"And Ash Ketchum's Pokémon for this battle, is a very impressive looking Heracross, a bug-fighting type. This truly is shaping up to be quite the match!"

"Gladiator," the announcer boomed, "Are you ready?"

I waved a hand over my head.

"Ash, are you ready?"

Ash nodded.

"Let the fight…BEGIN!"

_Here it is, the greatest show I'll ever put on._

I took a step forward, shouting at the top of my lungs, "Tigrage, hit him with a Thunder Wave!"

Ash called out a command to his Heracross that I couldn't hear, and his Pokémon leapt up onto a pile of boulders.

_Ha, he won't be able to escape the Thunder Wave._

Tigrage lifted his head and forelegs, slamming down on the floor of the arena with a loud _thud_. A ripple of yellow-white sparks coursed down his back, through his fur, and then exploded outwards in an expanding ring of light. Heracross was leaping up onto the rock formations that lined the outer ring of the circle, the peak standing over fifteen feet off the floor. Tigrage's Thunder Wave was spreading rapidly, the electric hum growing louder as it expanded, augmented by the Pokémon's intimidating roar.

Ash shouted again to Heracross, and this time I heard him plain as day, "Heracross, ground it!"

The bug Pokémon dove headfirst into the center of the boulders, falling behind a particularly large stone with a flat top and vanishing from view. I felt myself grin, knowing the first part of this battle was about to come to a screeching halt. Tigrage would be able to finish Heracross off with absurd ease once he was paralyzed. The Thunder Wave passed over where Heracross had dropped behind the rocks, the ring fading away at the edge of the arena.

"Go Tigrage," I shouted, "Put him away with Thunder!"

Tigrage leapt up onto the rocks as well, bouncing gracefully from one to the other to get a visual on the fallen Heracross. I cast a glance at Ash from across the arena, hoping to see him with some expression of disappointment, perhaps even frustration.

Instead, he was grinning.

_His Heracross is paralyzed…oh no, the rocks! They grounded the electric shock!_

"Tigrage!" I roared, waving my arms, "Back out-"

Tigrage turned his head, casting a glance at me for half a second.

A wrong move.

Ash's Heracross loosed an unmistakable war cry from behind the boulder, and leapt up into view.

Heading right towards Tigrage.

I saw Heracross's horn catch the light like polished steel, bent low and aimed directly at Tigrage's shoulder. I knew there was nothing I could do, nothing that could prevent Tigrage from taking that Megahorn at full power. No command would register fast enough for him to react in time. This, in Pokémon battles, was where the Pokémon had to be equally as talented as its trainer. Tigrage was among the finest Pokémon to ever step into a battle, but even he could not avoid the speed and ferocity of Ash's Heracross. The bug-Pokémon was seasoned and well trained, and executed his ambush attack perfectly.

Tigrage twisted at the last second, a last ditch effort to avoid taking the full power of the strike directly to the face, exposing Tigrage's ribs. Heracross's horn connected with Tigrage's left side with such force, the dull _thud!_ was heard throughout the entire arena like a hammer striking wood. A miserable groan sounded from the crowd, my own mouth, and even from Ash as Tigrage tumbled down the rock pile, skidding to a stop on the flat center of the arena.

"Tigrage!" I cried, staring out at my Pokémon.

He wasn't moving.

"Heracross geniously ducked behind a boulder, dodging the opponent's Thunder Wave," the commentator said into the mic, "And when Tigrage moves in for the finish, Heracross absolutely _levels_ it with a Megahorn! Absolutely incredible!"

Heracross bounded down the rocky slope, his Trainer shouting a stream of commands from the other side of the arena.

_Come on, Tig._

Heracross landed fifteen feet in front of where Tigrage had landed, now stirring on the ground, struggling to get a paw underneath him. Ash pumped a fist in the air and bellowed, "Tackle attack, now!"

Heracross lowered its shoulder and set its feet, preparing to charge.

Tigrage suddenly rolled over and got to its feet, wobbly and unstable. The crowd roared their approval, thundering their feet in the stands and pounding on the Plexiglas walls. Tigrage staggered backwards, away from the Heracross.

"Thunder!" I commanded, now standing at the very edge of the Trainer's box, "Take him out, now! Now!"

Tigrage crouched low like he was preparing to pounce, and another ripple expanded throughout his fur. Heracross bolted at top speed, charging into Tigrage and once again knocking him off balance.

"Oh!" the loudspeakers echoed, "Tigrage's attack was cut short by a _second_ powerful collision with the Heracross! That cat's taking a serious beating here today! But it looks like Tigrage is still on his feet and in this fight!"

_That Heracross is fast,_ I thought, trying to ignore Ash's cheers of delight.

Tigrage squared off with Heracross again, his back to the rocks. Tigrage slowly backed up as Heracross approached, seating himself into a V shaped opening in the stones. He set his feet shoulder width apart, like he was bracing for the next attack. Heracross charged again, his horn gleaming for the final strike. I could tell Tigrage was battered and beaten, his Health Points no doubt in the lower third by now. I studied the scene, wondering wildly why such an experienced Pokémon would back himself into a corner against an opponent as powerful as Heracross-

_He's not backing up, he's baiting him! Heracross will run headfirst into the rocks and be disoriented._

"That's it, Tigrage!" I called, clapping my hands, "You got the right idea!"

Heracross sprinted towards Tigrage, covering the twenty foot gap in but a handful of seconds. At the last instant, Tigrage threw himself to the side, rolling out of harm's way.

Heracross flailed his arms in a desperate attempt to slow himself, but it was useless. The bug piled into the boulders, drawing a sympatheic "Oooooooooohhhhhhh" from the crowd.

"Tigrage has used his superior agility to evade the attack!" the commentator shouted, "Heracross is dazed, open for his opponent to attack at will."

Heracross whirled around to face Tigrage, no doubt to defend himself from the attack he was sure was coming.

He was right.

Tigrage landed an unmistakable Body Slam on the confused Heracross, launching it into the air and bouncing it off the Plexiglas walls with enough force to leave a large bowl-shaped dent. Heracross fell to the top of the rock pile, rolling and bouncing dangerously to the ground, landing in the flat strip in the center. Tigrage executed with incredible speed, his mouth open and snow white teeth bared in a snarl. Even from across the arena, I could see the static discharge forming a sort of electrical cloud around his fangs.

_Thunder Fang,_ I thought, _well played. You might even paralyze him with this._

Heracross managed to pitch himself forward like a kid playing leapfrog, but Tigrage's teeth still clamped around Heracross's left leg. There was a flash of white light and a bang like a gunshot, and Heracross was tossed forward by the power of the shock, skidding on his back down the central strip of the arena. The bug forced itself to its feet, marked with a new collection of black scorch marks around its leg and a shiny scuff on its armored hide where Tigrage had landed the Body Slam. On the other hand, Tigrage had a massive swollen welt that encompassed its entire left side, and his right ear was folded down, no doubt the cartilage broken by Heracross's Tackle. Both Pokémon stared at the other, waiting for the next move. Heracross was on my side, and Tigrage over by Ash. Our commands were no good here, it would come down to the sheer intelligence of the Pokémon themselves.

_Heracross is weak,_ I thought to myself, trying to determine what would happen next, _he's going to go for broke here. Tigrage is weak as well, but in better shape. I have no doubt that Heracross is in his red health zone, whereas Tig is still yellow. If I had to guess, I'd say Heracross is about to use Solar Beam to put Tigrage away for good. Tig's only shot here is to use Thunder and end this battle before he absorbs another Tackle, or lord forbid another Megahorn._

"The two Pokémon are sizing one another up, no doubt trying to anticipate each other's next- OH! Heracross has unleashed a Solar Beam!"

Tigrage rolled out of sight before the orange-yellow beam struck the ground, which exploded into a wave of stifling heat and blinding light. The crowd covered their eyes as one, crying out as the heat reached them even through the protective windows. I turned my head, shielding my eyes from the light that seemed to burn into my retinas.

_That's one powerful Solar Beam. The explosion was as bright as an arc welder._

The light faded, and I cautiously peered out into the arena, searching for Tigrage.

Where he'd been standing was charred and cracked, one of the rocks even broke in half. Ash was wiping his eyes with his sleeve, no doubt having received the brunt of the flash. Heracross dropped to a knee, visibly shaking from the exertion. And yet, Tigrage was nowhere to be seen.

Even the commentator seemed puzzled, saying, "That Solar Beam was very impressive! Whether or not the foe Tigrage was hit by the attack has yet to be seen."

_Come on,_ I thought, _where are you?_

From the left side of the arena- Ash's right- a challenging roar echoed throughout the battle area, vibrating the walls. Tigrage leapt up onto the tallest boulder, crouched low and his fur emitting sparks. The crowd fell silent, watching in eager anticipation.

On the other side of the arena, I saw Ash's shoulders drop, his smile fade.

Heracross and Tigrage locked eyes, and Heracross bellowed back at his opponent, despite knowing he was about to lose.

Tigrage stood full upright, snapping to attention as a magnificent, startling white-yellow discharge of raw electricity flared out from his body and manifested into a single jagged bolt, striking true onto the entirety of Ash's Heracross, smothering him in pure energy. The connection of the Thunder and the Pokémon was like a grenade had detonated, and was followed by a hundred firecrackers going off, like someone was holding down the trigger on some machine gun.

Heracross buckled, dropping onto his back and skidding ten feet in my direction, his body smoking and lifeless.

For a moment, there was no sound in the entire arena.

Then the crowd exploded.

"Tigrage ends the battle with a magnificent Thunder attack! Heracross is down!"

Ash sighed, and returned the unconscious Heracross to his Poké Ball, placing the ball at his belt. He waved a hand to me in respect, and I returned the gesture.

I threw a fist in the air, roaring in satisfaction and leaping out of the Trainer's box. Tigrage jogged over to me, strutting and holding his head high in the air, pleased at the crowd's reaction. I dropped to a knee, scratching him behind his ears and pressing my forehead to his.

"Well done," I said, "Way to give us a good start, Tig. Here, get in your Poké Ball and take a rest, you've earned it, buddy."

Tigrage growled his approval, and nudged me with his snout.

I returned him to his ball, and then returned myself to the Trainer's box.

"We will take a ten minute intermission," the commentator said, "While the engineers repair the terrain for the second and final battle of the day. We urge you to use the restroom, stop by the concession stands, and otherwise stretch your legs. A round of applause for that incredible matchup of two devastating Pokémon!"

The crowd eagerly obliged, the thunderous booms of their claps and shouts literally pushing on my eardrums. I didn't mind, though. My Tigrage had won a hard fought battle against arguably the most talented Trainer of all time, and put us one point in the lead.

_Next is Sceptile and Charizard,_ I thought, _it'll be a very hard fought win, but we can manage if Sceptile can use his Giga Drain enough times to put the Charizard out of commission long enough to land a few Magical Leaf attacks, or maybe his special Vine Whip._

I waved again to Ash from across the arena, then dropped to a knee to talk to Sceptile, who was staring out at the arena with a stone face of pure concentration.

"Hey," I said, "We know what kind of environment we're going to have. This is more Charizard's game than yours, but we can play it smart with speed and agility. Stay behind the rocks, hit him with Giga Drain a few times, and when he starts slowing down and missing his attacks, snipe him with Vine Whips and Magical Leaf until he's out. Alright?"

Sceptile nodded, "_Sceptile_!"

I put a hand on his shoulder, grinning.

"Alright," I said, "Let's bag us another win."


	2. A Heated Encounter

_Chapter II- A Heated Encounter._

… … …

… … …

_Battle Frontier, Sinnoh Region._

"Alright Sceptile," I put a hand on my Pokémon, my friend's, head, "You've got this. He's going to open early with fire attacks, no doubt. Use your speed, that agility, and hit him with Giga Drain. He doesn't have a whole lot of room to be flying, but he might. Use Sleep Powder if he goes up, you'll bring him down. Focus on Magical Leaf and Vine Whip, you have massive bonuses to those moves and they're really powerful. You've got this, buddy."

Sceptile's forked tongue flicked out and disappeared in a flash, and he raised his chin proudly, "_Sceptile!"_

The announcer tapped the mic to test it, then shouted, "Aaaaaaaand we're back, ladies and gentleman. What a fight that first round was! The Gladiator's Tigrage defeated Ash's Heracross with a devastating Thunder attack, sealing the first win for the Red team. Now, it's Ash's Charizard versus Gladiator's Sceptile!"

The crowd boomed their approval, stamping their feet and cheering in a deafening roar.

"Trainers," the commentator called, "Please step into the Trainer's boxes, and have your Pokémon move to the center of the arena."

I put a hand on the ladder that led to the raised platform I was supposed to stand on, then turned to face Sceptile. "You can win this," I said with a smile, "You've fought harder than this guy. Follow the plan and get us another win."

Sceptile nodded, his tongue flicking out again. He strode confidently out to the center of the arena, panning the thousands of spectators in the grandstands with approving eyes.

"And here's Sceptile," the announcer said, "And what a great, strong looking grass-Pokémon that is. Its Trainer has clearly taken great care of it. For those of you in the crowd who've been to the Stadium in Kanto," the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers, "This is the very same Sceptile that won our Gladiator his second title."

Sceptile came to a stop on the edge of the white circle, staring straight ahead at Ash's Charizard with an impressive lack of fear, refusing to be intimidated by the fire dragon's size and ferocity.

"And for Sceptile's opponent," the overhead speakers boomed, "Is Ash's Charizard! And what an absolutely terrifying beast it is indeed. Just look at that Flamethrower!"

Ash's Charizard stomped out into the center of the arena, much to the pleasure of the roaring crowd, and maintained a jet of flame from his open jaws, the flames reaching out over a hundred feet. From up in my Trainer's box, I could see Sceptile's face as stone, refusing to show fear.

_Alright,_ I thought, _that's what I like to see._

"With both Pokémon in the center of the arena, it's time to get this battle underway. Red Trainer, are you ready?"

I waved a hand in confirmation.

"Blue Trainer, are you ready?"

Ash held up a closed fist, a confident grin on his face. He reached a hand up to his hat, spinning it around so it was on backwards.

"Let the match…BEGIN!"

I leaned against the railing of the box, shouting down into the arena. "Evade! Wear him out!"

Ash's Charizard opened the battle exactly as I expected, with a torrent of Flamethrower directed right at Sceptile, who bolted to his right and sought refuge in the boulders.

Ash's Charizard roared, leaping up into the miniature mountain range, navigating across the rock pile towards Sceptile.

"Go!" I roared, "Magical Leaf!"

Sceptile thrust a hand out like a preacher giving a benediction, and a steady stream of black leaves glowing in multicolored light shot forth and raced across the rocks. Ash's Charizard tried to cut the attack with another bout of Flamethrower, but it failed. These weren't Razor Leaves, and couldn't be set on fire.

The struck Charizard full force in the chest, each flashing in a different colored burst of light and vanishing upon impact. Charizard roared in pain, taking a step back. Behind him, Ash was shouting something I couldn't hear over the crowd.

"Giga Drain, Sceptile!"

My grass-lizard ducked an Ember attack, rolling to avoid being hit by the splash of flames, and landed further down the pile. He darted across the open center, narrowly missing a Fire Blast that would have hit and killed me in the Trainer's box if there hadn't been a magnetic heat shield around it. Disoriented, I rubbed my eyes and scanned around for my Pokémon. I located him on the left side, hiding in the opposite rock pile. Charizard clearly hadn't seen him run there either, and he was stomping around, shooting flames in all directions.

Sceptile popped up from behind a boulder, and opened his laws, staring straight at Charizard. A small ball of light launched from his maw like a glowing bullet, and connected with Charizard's left wing. The orb instantly soaked into Charizard's skin, then retracted and returned to Sceptile. Charizard groaned as the Giga Drain left him, taking with it a chunk of his Hit Points.

"And Sceptile intelligently utilizes a Giga Drain attack, staying far away from the flames of that Charizard. Looks like Ash's Pokémon is not a happy camper."

Ash was calling out commands to Charizard, who again received another Giga Drain from Sceptile, who was using hit and fade attacks and dodging Embers and Fire Blasts. Charizard seized a handful of boulders each the size of my head and hurled them at Sceptile. My Pokémon used Vine Whip, holding one in each hand like a lion tamer, and accurately reduced the stones to powder before they could so much as leave a bruise. Enraged, Charizard again resumed his reckless fire attacks, each time narrowly missing Sceptile as he darted about in the opposing rock formation. Again and again he used his Giga Drain, landing three consecutive attacks. Sceptile again tried to use Vine Whip to distract Charizard, but he popped up from behind his barricade too early. Charizard's Fire Spin had already formed a ring around him, and Sceptile recoiled from the heat, ducking behind the rock again with a snarl and a hiss of pain.

I watched him as he leapt over the top of the flames, his tail catching and loosing a puff of smoke as it was singed. I grimaced, knowing that those two hits had been minor, but were super effective against a grass-type. Sceptile was most likely fairly injured after those scrapes.

_It won't be long before Charizard has Sceptile cornered,_ I thought grimly, _I've got to get him out of there._

"Sceptile, Sleep Powder!"

Sceptile leapt down from one boulder, into the crevice between another pair. As he fell, the bottom of a Flamethrower stream caught him on the shoulder, and he collapsed when he landed. I saw he was breathing heavily, prodding his shoulder with his free hand, testing that arm's movement.

_He's alright,_ I thought, _but he can't take any more hits like that, he'll be done for._

"Sceptile, Sleep Powder now!"

Sceptile shoulder-rolled away from another Flamethrower from the relentless Charizard, sprinting across a small gap and sliding to a stop behind a large stone. Charizard cut off his torrent of flame, roaring in frustration and leaping into the air.

_Now… come on we planned for this._

Sceptile stepped out from behind the rock, and a glittery cloud of shimmering mist lanced out from his outstretched hands, enveloping the airborne Charizard.

Ash's Pokémon shook his head, snorting and diving low out of the cloud. I knew he'd gotten a powerful dose, however, and that he'd be either asleep and out of the fight in under a minute, or he'd be too exhausted to defend himself, and Sceptile would put him away for our second win.

Charizard's wings fluttered, and he dropped to the arena floor in a thunderous crash.

"Sceptile!" I bellowed, "Magical Leaf! Keep it up until he's out!"

Sceptile leapt up onto the top of the boulder he'd been hiding behind, and again fired a constant river of flashing lights, the stream pounding against Charizard's chest and back. Ash was flailing his arms and shouting incoherently, clearly trying to motivate Charizard to get to its feet.

The dragon Pokémon put a knee underneath its body, holding itself in a prone position with one wobbly arm.

Sceptile continued his onslaught, visibly weakening the Charizard even further. I watched as Sceptile slowly marched out of the rock pile, into the open center strip of the arena to get a clear shot. Charizard, having landed in the very center, was glaring hungrily at Sceptile, simultaneously crying out as the Magical Leaf attacks rocked him over and over again. Behind Charizard, I saw Ash's face turn into a grin, and he pointed a gloved hand out at Sceptile. Charizard roared in response, and threw itself to his feet with extreme effort, the strain plan as day on its face. My mind went into battle mode, and I instantly began to analyze the situation.

_Sceptile's got Charizard weak and dead to rights out here in the open. He's vulnerable to attacks, but he needs that clear open firing range to shut this show down quickly._

I checked the timer on the clock in my box. _Three minutes? That's all it's been?_

Sceptile cut off his attack abruptly, his breathing heavy. My attention snapped to him, seeing my Pokémon tired and just standing there out in the open.

And then it hit me.

Magical Leaf was a good attack move, a great move when used by Sceptile's bonus. It was fast, hit with a solid power, was very hard to evade, and couldn't be deflected. Yet, on the downside, it took a pretty heavy toll on Sceptile to use it more than a few times per battle. To keep it up in a steady stream for a whole minute must've been excruciating, and judging by the smile on Ash's face, he knew it as well. To maintain such an attack would be the same as any human swimming at full speed underwater for three or four minutes without air, it was very difficult. And now, both Pokémon were exhausted early into the battle, and out in the open. They were completely vulnerable to the other's attack. Unlike the last battle, this came down to the Trainer's skill to decide how to proceed.

And I'd decided that Sceptile would be crushed if he stayed out in the open with a fire type.

"Get out of there, Sceptile! Get into the rocks!"

Sceptile groaned audibly, and hobbled away from the main strip, throwing himself bodily behind another boulder. The second his feet vanished from sight, a Fire Blast blackened a patch on the rocks and arena floor the size of a small house in the exact spot Sceptile had just vacated.

I scowled, and focused on Ash's Charizard.

It was weak, that was obvious by the labored breathing and the way it limped onto the opposing stone formations. It's fire attacks, however, seemed as strong as ever. And with Ash behind him offering a steady stream of commands and tactics, I was most definitely worried about the outcome of this battle.

_If Sceptile can get enough strength to land another big Magical Leaf, then Charizard will give out, I'm sure of it. _

"Giga Drain!" I commanded, yelling so loud I was sure my throat would bleed, "Sap some of his health then fire a Magical Leaf!"

Sceptile nodded to me, his entire body shaking and his breath coming in short gasps.

Charizard looked over to Ash, and Ash said something to him I wish I would have been able to hear, and growled low, smoke furling from his nostrils. Sceptile moved to get a visual on Charizard, struggling to climb the rock piles. Charizard opened his jaws, a torrent of orange-yellow flames lancing out and bathing the start of the right side stones in a cherry glow, easily fifty feet from where Sceptile was fighting for an open shot on Charizard.

_He missed entirely…_

Charizard swept the beam of fire across the arena, leaving a path of glowing rocks in its wake, striking the boulders on both sides in apparent random. Sceptile ducked around the flames, and darted to his right to get to a safer position- but he couldn't, the rocks there were red hot.

And then it hit me.

Charizard wasn't losing his mind, he was cutting off Sceptile's hiding places by setting the rocks on fire…

"And it appears that Charizard has set the entire arena on fire! This just might spell the end for this match!"

Sceptile climbed to the top of a boulder, and snapped his arm out at Charizard, whose attention was elsewhere.

I knew what he was doing. _He's sticking to my plan. He's rested enough for one last Magical Leaf, even without the Giga Drain._

Charizard seemed to have shaken off some of his weariness, because he unfurled his wings and leapt high into the air. Sceptile called out, and the Magical Leaf attack darted out from his open palm, racing towards Charizard at the speed of an arrow…

And missed the dragon by maybe an inch, two at the most.

I felt my shoulders drop, knowing the end was in sight.

Charizard flew over the small pocket of unheated stones where Sceptile was hiding, and opened his jaws. A five point Fire Blast screamed forth from his maw, the inferno crashing down on Sceptile in full force, the flames splashing out onto the other rocks in a massive ring.

"And Sceptile is hit by a Fire Blast!" The announcer shrieked, "It looks like this match is over, folks."

I reached down to my belt, and snatched Sceptile's Poké Ball from my belt, pressing the center button to enlarge it. I pointed it out over the arena, releasing my pent up breath in a miserable sigh.

"Sceptile, return."

A jagged line of red light darted out into the blackened crater where Sceptile had been standing, and returned. I checked the ball, ensuring that my Pokémon was safe inside.

"The Gladiator has returned his Pokémon before Nurse Joy could confirm it had fainted. Ash and Charizard have won the second round!"

The crowd lost their minds, roaring and stamping their feet so loud I couldn't hear a single thing, not even the commentator wrapping up the final details.

Across the arena, Ash returned Charizard as well, and held a hand up for me to see.

I nodded, feeling terrible about losing, and waved back.

_A respectful kid,_ I thought, _even after he completely annihilated my Sceptile. I suppose Sceptile put up a great fight, but he could have won. I should have had him attack with Sleep Powder again._

The crowd died down, and I climbed out of the Trainer's box, striding to the center of the arena. The heat from the rocks down here was stifling, well over a hundred degrees, but I didn't care. As a Trainer, I'd gone for the knockout shot instead of trying to weaken Charizard one more time, and had paid for it with a loss. That was an amateur move, not one to be made by a three time Stadium champion.

Ash Ketchum was already standing in the center of the arena, Pikachu in his shoulder. I sighed, forced a smile, and held a hand out.

"Well, hey," I said, "You got me. Well played, man."

Ash smiled and shook my hand, "Your Sceptile put up a great fight. Charizard's Hit Points were in the red zone. The type matchup was against you and you still came really close to winning."

I shrugged, trying not to appear as pleased by his words as I really was. "Thanks, Ash. But I'll make up for it when we battle tomorrow." I offered a grin.

Ash returned it, and let go of my hand. "Alright, sounds great!"

I nodded to him, and turned around, marching back to the edge of the arena where a man was holding a door open for me to leave for the Pokémon Center.

_Tomorrow,_ I thought, feeling a fire inside me flare up, burning white-hot,_ I'll show him Sharduke and my Dark Pidgeot. He won't know what to make of Pokémon that aren't in his Pokédex. He'll have no way to know how to strike back._

_ Tomorrow, we'll take the lead and hold it for good. _


End file.
